Alfred the Great was a Saxon king who was faced with an invasion by the Danish Vikings in the 10th century.

Although he was unprepared for the invasion at first, and was forced to retreat to the West Country, he was later able to build up an army that could fight the Vikings and win.

The result of Alfred's achievements were to keep Saxon control over the western part of England.

To make sure an invasion did not happen again, he built many fortified towns called burhs. Each town was surrounded by an earthen wall and topped by a wooden palisade. The largest was at Winchester in Hampshire. Although Alfred moved his court about regularly, this is where he held court most often and it is often called the capital of Wessex. He was buried in a specially-built Minster in Winchester.